Okazaki scores twice in Mainz win

MUNICH – Japan striker Shinji Okazaki marked his first start in two matches with a brace as Mainz defeated Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0 in the German Bundesliga on Saturday.

Mainz quickly settled into a rhythm and Okazaki, signed from Stuttgart in the summer, opened the scoring with a looping shot over Braunschweig goalkeeper Daniel Davari after eight minutes.

Okazaki was the initiator of most of Mainz’s promising moves and the former Shimizu S-Pulse hit man twice went close before he wrapped up the points in the 68th minute, applying the finishing touches to a swift counterattack.

“I kept on going for goal and I was able to play my game,” said Okazaki. “I think winning the game was a result of the team really pulling together.”